Update from 27/05 below. This post was originally published on May 25th
Apple’s iPhone 14 range looks set to rise in price significantly. And now we have a better idea of why …
The popular Korean technology site ET News reports that for the first time in the history of the iPhone, Apple will install a South Korean front-facing camera on its smartphone. The camera will provide major updates to image quality (broken down here), but includes a dramatic cost increase.
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max is made based on filtered schemes
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Update 27/05: More details of Apple’s iPhone 14 production plans have now been leaked and come from two of the industry’s most credible sources. Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s first acclaimed analyst, has revealed that production of the new iPhone 14 Max is “lagging behind.” Kuo cites the Shanghai blockade as a factor, but says he hopes “suppliers can work overtime to catch up on the schedule.”
In addition, Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) and one of the most accurate experts in the industry. In response to Kuo, Young states that “the panel shipments of the iPhone 14 Max have always been behind” and adding “I’m not sure why”. Interestingly. speculates “Maybe they have modest volume targets for this one”. This is possible, but I suspect that the iPhone 14 Max will be the most popular model in the iPhone 14 range.
Either way, Apple is potentially heading for its first split release since the launch of the iPhone 12 in 2020, which in turn was only the second in the history of the iPhone (after the iPhone 8 / iPhone X). So if you want an iPhone 14 Max at launch, you need to act fast.
Citing industry sources, ET News claims that Apple was forced to quickly change its plans for the front camera of the iPhone 14 after “quality problems of Chinese manufacturers” during testing. As a result, Apple will install an LG Innotek camera module this year that was originally intended for the iPhone 15.
The good news is that ET News reports that the module brings advanced functionality to the iPhone’s front camera for the first time, including autofocus. This is something that respected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first revealed in April with autofocus joining an enhanced aperture for better depth of field in Portrait mode and video calls.
The downside is the cost. According to the ET News source, “the unit price of the iPhone 14’s front camera has increased almost threefold compared to previous models.” This is the biggest price increase on components I can remember. Historically, Apple’s steps to dual and triple rear cameras and the addition of a high refresh rate screen have an added cost, but not a 3x multiple.
Apple 14 Pro Max rendering based on multiple leaks
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All this adds to the narrative that Apple will raise iPhone prices by $ 100 for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, while the new iPhone 14 Max will be at least $ 200 more than the iPhone 13 Mini that replaces.
On the other hand, after several reports that the standard iPhone 14 will be little more than a (potentially controversial) refreshment of the iPhone 13, the jump in the quality of the front camera could be one of the most important selling points of the phone. Especially with the rise of video calls in recent years.
The revelations that Apple surprisingly plans to change the line from iPhone to USB-C in 2023 and redesign the basic models make me still think this is a bad year to upgrade. But for the current decision-makers, things have improved a bit.
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